Customer with controversial content

How to handle it?

[Birdman]

Hello,

A new client hired me to build a site and after going through the content sent to me, I an worried about how to proceed because it seems offensive. It is about illegal immigrants and some of the stuff is downright mean.

Do I build the site and make sure my name does not appear anywhere on the site?

Do I refund the downpayment and move on?

Any advice appreciated!

[red_bull]

If the content is illegal move on

[edited by: red_bull at 11:42 pm (utc) on Mar. 20, 2003]

[oilman]

turn them down - send it back. At the end of the day all you have is your principles.

[Birdman]

I kind of figured that would be the consensus. I'm just getting started in the biz and have already had two bad apples :(

The first one got their hosting cancelled for spamming.

[oilman]

buck up birdman - only 2 bad apples so far? ;) I wish I had only 2 sad stories to tell but alas that's the nature of it to a point. The key is to get the one good deal where the client has good business contacts. Please that guy and you'll be well off. Nothing beats word of mouth and respect. Do what you do and do it well and stand by your principles - it will pay off.

[wingslevel]

just charge them double! after all, even serial murderers are entitled to a lawyer. as long as they aren't breaking any laws and only exercising free speech - (just like you'll exercise free billing!). don't put your name on it.

[DrCool]

Refund and move on. We have had to turn many customers down in the past because we didn't agree with what they were promoting on their websites. In every case where we turned a customer down we had another contract to replace it within a day or two. If you aren't comfortable with it don't do it.

[jatar_k]

walk Birdman, things like that have a tendency to follow you around and you wouldn't want to have it bite you later. You also might lose sleep given that you felt motivated to post it.

I would think your mind is already made up. I'm with oilman, only 2, lucky you. ;)

[DLadybug]

I'd pass. Sounds like you really want to have some work you can be proud of. If you do all you can to create an appealing, easy to use site, you'll feel like you had a hand in promoting that content. Which in fact, you will have.

If you decide to do it and just not give your all to make a quality site, you won't feel right either.

I am also a firm believer that you have to be able to get into the mindset of the intended visitors to create a site that appeals to that market. I'm guessing you're not able to think "like they do", and I'm glad to hear that.

The best quality work you'll ever do is when you are comfortable with the final presentation, content and all. Make your first jobs something you are proud to display in your portfolio. You'll be successful in more ways than one.

Dian :)